Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026

Floor Speech

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Mr. LaHOOD. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this misguided amendment.

The longstanding U.S. military investment for the independent Lebanese Armed Forces, also known as the LAF, has worked to support U.S. security interests in the Middle East for close to 20 years.

As co-chair of the U.S.-Lebanon Friendship Caucus and a member of the House Intelligence Committee, I work closely with the brave men and women in the U.S. military who work alongside the LAF to ensure robust oversight of U.S. military funding and training resources.

The stability of the LAF is important not only to the security of Lebanon but also their neighboring countries and the United States. That stability is more important than ever as the LAF works to permanently disarm and destroy Hezbollah's presence in Lebanon.

Building on the tremendous success of Israel in weakening Iran and eliminating Hezbollah's terrorist leader network, Hezbollah is now at its weakest point. This is a tremendous opportunity for the LAF and for the people of Lebanon to root out terror proxy influence from within their borders.

The LAF has an active mission and expectation from the United States and others to fully disarm Hezbollah, and they are working to accomplish that every day.

Eliminating military funding from the LAF now will only serve to further embolden Hezbollah and allow them to regroup. This cannot happen with Hezbollah on their back foot. U.S. support and funding for the LAF is more important than ever.

This amendment is misguided. To prove that point, I will reference an article from earlier this week, from July 12 of 2025: This week the Trump administration, the State Department, and the DOD approved $100 million to go to the LAF for the Super Tucano aircraft.

In listening to what the State Department said regarding the sale of military equipment to Lebanon, this is their statement: ``This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a partner country, [Lebanon,] that continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.''

Madam Chair, I include in the Record an article dated July 12, 2025, which shows that the current Trump administration supports military funding to the LAF. [From L'Orient Today, July 12, 2025] US Approves Potential $100 Million Sale to Lebanon for A-29 Super Tucano Maintenance

Beirut--The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $100 million sale to Lebanon for maintenance services and support equipment for the A-29 Super Tucano aircraft, the Pentagon announced in a statement Friday. The Super Tucano is a multi-mission aircraft used for training and light attack operations.

According to the statement, the ``government of Lebanon has requested to buy support equipment, and other related elements of a logistics program and support.''

``This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East,'' the statement read.

The State Department noted that the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) were deployed to southern Lebanon to help implement the November 2024 cease-fire, which followed 13 months of conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.

``Sustainment of the A-29 fleet will support the LAF's role in maintaining the cessation of hostilities by ensuring maintenance of this critical aircraft, which is used for Close Air Support in ground maneuver operations, as well as manned Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions,'' the statement added.

``The sale of A-29 sustainment will support the LAF's implementation of the cessation of hostilities by providing maintenance for this critical aircraft, which is used to conduct Close Air Support as part of ground maneuver operations, as well as manned Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance,'' the statement adds.

Moreover, the State Department noted that the ``principal contractor will be Sierra Nevada Corporation [SNC], located in Sparks, NV'', adding that at this time, the ``U.S. Government is not aware of any offset agreement proposed in connection with this potential sale.''

During the clashes in March between clans close to Hezbollah and the Syrian army along the Lebanese-Syrian border, the LAF deployed its Super Tucano attack aircraft to strike at a position in Syria, demonstrating its growing operational capabilities and use of such weapons. Despite the cease-fire agreement, Israel has continued to carry out near- daily airstrikes, mainly in southern Lebanon, and maintains control over five areas within Lebanese territory.

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Mr. LaHOOD. Madam Chair, I oppose this misguided amendment, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

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